A historic Arizona library just lost $650,000 in federal funding over two drag events, and Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) is not letting it go quietly.
Republicans on the House Appropriations Subcommittee rejected Rep. Grijalva's request for $649,330 in funding for the Copper Queen Library in Bisbee, a small rural town in southern Arizona, where the money was meant for basic structural repairs.
The repairs included:
- fixing a cracked masonry wall
- replacing rotted windows
- patching the roof, refinishing floors
- upgrading stairs and railings to meet disability access standards.
Grijalva says the funding wasn't rejected because the project lacked merit. She claims it was rejected because the library hosted two drag performances, one in 2019 and one in 2024.
"Republicans didn't cut this funding over the merits of the project; they cut it to continue their assault on the trans community," Grijalva said. "It is outrageous, it is petty, and it is a complete abuse of the appropriations process."
It is worth noting that, out of the projects Grijalva submitted to the committee for consideration, the Copper Queen Library was the only one cut.
Copper Queen Library's History
Although the library itself has a long and celebrated history. Founded in 1882, it has won national recognition, including being named Best Small Library in America by Library Journal in 2019 and becoming a finalist for the National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 2022.
It also hosts hundreds of community programs every year and serves as a critical resource for families across rural southern Arizona.
Grijalva argued that denying funding for two events for a highly recognized library amounts to punishing an entire community, and she called it unconstitutional.
"Public libraries are one of the purest expressions of our First Amendment, open, accessible spaces where people can learn, gather, and express themselves freely," she explained.
Democratic committee staffers have been pushing to restore the funding, but haven't succeeded so far.
Grijalva, who filmed a video outside the library calling it "a cornerstone of this community," says she isn't backing down.
She has vowed to keep fighting to restore the money and protect what she calls every community's right to open, accessible public spaces.
